Royal Court announces 2017/2018 season

Vicky Featherstone announces Autumn / Winter season

The Royal Court has announced their Autumn/Winter season for 2017/2018.

The new season continues the Royal Court’s tradition of staging innovative and provocative new plays with five world premieres, five international playwrights and the return of critically acclaimed productions Minefield and Rita Sue and Bob Too.

Artistic Director Vicky Featherstone says “From Syria, Ukraine, Argentina and the US, these writers – all women – are writing about conflict, radicalism and justice. These plays are the result of the unique long term relationships that have been built through the ground breaking work of the Royal Court’s International Department. It is impossible not to work in both a in these complex times. This season aspires to give audiences voices from both.”

The new season begins with the return of Lola Arias’ Falklands island conflict Minefield (2 to 11 November 2017). The acclaimed show, which premiered at the Court, uses the collective memories of six war veterans (3 British / 3 Argentinian), archive footage, live feeds, music and projection to present the deeply personal and enduring stories of the aftermath of conflict.

Ukrainian playwright Natal’ya Vorozhbit returns to the Royal Court for world premiere of Bad Roads , a powerful, heart-breaking and bitterly comic account of what it is to be a woman in wartime. Directed by Vicky Featherstone it will play from 15 November 2017 until 23 December 2017 in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs.

Goats by Liwaa Yazji, a Syrian playwright and documentary filmmaker will receive its world premiere (24 November 2017 – 30 December 2017) in the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs. The play was developed as part of the Royal Court’s long term project with writers from Syria and Lebanon.

The darkly comic thriller by playwright Julia Jarcho Grimly Handsome, explores the margins of a city and the violent fantasies they inspire. Produced by Sam Pritchard and Chloe Lamford Grimly Handsome will run from 6 December 2017 until 23 December 2017 at The Site.

Anoushka Warden’s debut play My Mum Is A Twat, directed by Vicky Featherstone will run from 8 January 2018 until 28 January 2018 – 20 Jan 2018 in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs.

Returning to the Royal Court after 35 years Rita Sue and Bob Too by Andrea Dunbar & directed by Max Stafford-Clark, will run from 9 January 2018 – 27 January 2018in the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs.

Vicky Featherstone directs Simon Longman’s new play about 2 sisters struggling to survive after the death of their mother. Gundog will run from 31 January 2018 until 10 March 2018 in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs.

Lyndsey Turner (Posh, Hamlet, Chimerica) directs Boys & Girls, a new play from Dennis Kelly (BBC 3 series Pulling) about an ordinary family whose world suddenly starts to unravel. Boys & Girls will run from 8 February 2018 until 10 March 2018 in the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs.

Black Men Walking by Testament, an Eclipse Theatre Company and Royal Exchange Theatre co-production directed by Dawn Walton will run from 21 March 2018 until 7 April 2018 in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs.